BSC fall theater production opens Oct. 19
Published: Oct 12 2017
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Bismarck State College Theatre opens its season Oct. 19-22 with a beloved comedy, an audience favorite of the American theatre, that strikes a chord with current events of today. Larry Shue’s two-act comedy “The Foreigner” runs Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Sidney J. Lee Auditorium.
Trying to forget his marital problems, dull and doleful Charlie Baker takes a fishing-lodge holiday in the Deep South of America, and to avoid being pestered by the locals pretends that he is a foreigner who speaks no English. This leads him to becoming involved in bizarre goings-on of a corrupt preacher, his pregnant girlfriend, her none-too-bright kid brother and the local branch of the Ku Klux Klan!
“What’s fascinating about this play is how well it speaks to our current national moment,” says director and BSC Assistant Professor of Theatre Danny Devlin. “I think, in some ways, it’s challenging that the themes of tolerance, acceptance, community, and diversity are the center of the national conversation. When “The Foreigner” played in New York in 2005, it was decried as out of touch and no longer relevant — I’d challenge anyone to decry the relevance of this show today.”
Cast members are BSC students Ty Betts (Minot) as “Froggy LeSeuer, Tim Bjugstad (Mandan) as Charlie Baker, Hannah Hertz (Carson) as Betty Meeks, Madisen Houston (Bismarck) as Catherine Simms, and Robert Day (Mandan) Ellard Simms. BSC alumni Adam Michal and Derek Pich (Mandan) join the cast in the roles of Rev. David Marshall Lee and Owen Musser.
Assisting Devlin is lighting designer and technical director Dean Bellin, stage manager Cianna Carlson (Bowman) and assistant stage manager Nicholas Rohrich (Mandan).
“The cast features some of BSC and Bismarck-Mandan’s finest and most experienced stage talent. We’re pleased to welcome back alumni from the program, along with regulars to our stage, and newcomers, as well,” Devlin says.
Reserved seat tickets can be purchased in advance online at bsctheatre.com, by calling the box office at 224-5677 or visiting the BSC Campus Information Center in the Student Union on campus. Tickets also can be purchased on performance days at the box office in Schafer Hall.